A Different Type of Childhood
by Song Gift
Summary: Lily and James Potter were not at Godric's Hollow when Voldemort showed up. See Harry enjoy Hogwarts with the support of his parents, sisters, brother, and cousin. See the Boy Who Lived to Enjoy a Family.
1. To the Train

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October 31st, 1981

Godric's Hollow

"Peter!" Lily Potter exclaimed, throwing her arms around the young man. "I'm so glad you could come on such short notice. I really don't want to leave Harry alone. He's sleeping, so he shouldn't give you any trouble. I'll be back in an hour."

With that said, Lily Potter dashed through the floo, almost late for her meeting with the 

Headmaster.

***

Harry Potter quietly stared at the man who held a wand towards him, feeling, in the back of his one-year-old mind, betrayed that his Uncle Wormtail was standing beside the man.

"Avada Kedavra!" the man exclaimed, and Harry let out a wail as the curse bounced backwards and to the man.

Lord Voldemort was defeated.

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11 year old Harry Potter chased his 5 year old sister, Melanie, around the backyard. It was a bright, sunny day in July, and Lily, James, Sirius, and Remus sat on the porch of the Potter Mansion, watching the two play. Lily held the 6 month old Elizabeth, rocking her gently. Damien, the 9 year old Potter boy, sat sulkily inside, pouting because he was sick. All four Potter children had black hair, though Melanie's had a distinctly auburn touch to it, and almond shaped green eyes. Harry's short hair was messy, flying wildly about, while Damien's was somewhat curly, like Lily's. Melanie, too, had gotten Lily's curly hair, and it was impossible to tell for Elizabeth, as she didn't have much hair yet. The adults were startled by a small *pop*, with which a house elf appeared.

"Mistress, Sukey is finding someone at the door for you." 

"Thank you Sukey," Lily smiled, standing up and handing Elizabeth to James, "Show them to the foyer."

***

When Lily arrived in the foyer, she was met by the sight of a young girl sitting on a couch, head in her hands, and shoulders shaking with sobs. The girl had her dark red hair, with hints of black laced through, in a messy braid. When Lily put a hand on the girl's shoulder, she looked up, and hazel eyes met emerald green. There was a nasty looking cut that ran down the left side of her face, and Lily had the feeling the cut would leave a scar.

"Carmen?" Lily asked in disbelief. The 11 year old nodded and threw herself at Lily, still sobbing.

"Oh, Auntie Lily! Mum and dad are-are-_dead!_"

Lily hugged the girl, whispering words of comfort, while her mind reeled. Her brother, Damien, was dead, along with her sister in law, Elizabeth. Her best friends, practically. She had named two of her children after them, and...

Lily suddenly noticed Albus Dumbledore, watching them with a sad smile. "Albus?" she blinked. "What are you doing here?"

"I brought her." the old man responded. "Elizabeth and Damien were, unfortunately, killed by the few remaining death eaters, protesting the marriage of a muggleborn to a pureblood. It was decided that Carmen would be best off with you, rather than your sister."

Lily snorted. "Duh."

After a few more moments of conversation, Albus Dumbledore stepped through the floo and disappeared.

***

The next few days, Carmen could be found in the backyard, sketchbook and colored pencils in hand. She drew beautifully, and Lily had framed more than one picture. When the young girl was not drawing, she was practicing the muggle martial arts. Unfortunately, this sometimes lead to breaking things...

"Carmen Estelle Adia!" Lily hollered. "No karate in the house!"

***

When September 1st came around, Harry James Potter and Carmen Estelle Adia were up at the crack of dawn, dancing about with their wands. (Carmen's was 8 ½ inches, ebony, and with a core of unicorn hair.) When they were all packed, with Hedwig, Harry's owl, and Brielle, Carmen's cat, in their respective places, the Potters and the Adia flooed to King's Cross Station in London.

"Bye Melanie, Damien, Elizabeth, Mum, Dad!" Harry said as he hugged and kissed each of them. 

"Mel, Damien, Liz, Auntie, Uncle." Carmen whispered as she squeezed each of them. 

After a few tears on Melanie and Lily's part, the two 11 year olds got on the train, with promises to owl every day.

***

"Harrrrrrrrrrrrry!" Carmen whined. "I'm booooored!"

Harry raised an eyebrow at his cousin. "How did you manage to make my name into five syllables?" he asked incredulously.

"Talent." she replied with a shrug.

The two were sitting in the last compartment on the train, across from each other, and after an hour of staring out the window, Carmen had finally spoken up. Harry's inevitable wisecrack was interrupted by their compartment door opening.

"Well, well, well," sneered a pale blonde boy with slicked back hair. "If it isn't the famous Harry Potter."

Carmen gave an exaggerated gasp, faking shock. "What? Harry's famous? Why did you never tell me?" she sobbed.

Harry patted her shoulder. "There, there. We were planning on telling you when you turned eighteen. We wanted to protect you!"

The pale boy looked startled and angry. "You're nutters!" he declared. "You and your girlfriend both!"

Carmen snorted at this. "Girlfriend? Please, Malfoy, just because your family practices inbreeding doesn't mean the rest of us do!"

Malfoy pointedly ignored the jab. "Oh, you've heard of me, have you?"

Carmen snorted. "You're Lucius Malfoy's son. It's obvious. And of course I know _him_, he's the one who gave me this!" she gestured angrily at her scar and snarled, "The Ministry of Magic might be fooled by your father's money, but no one else is. Don't flaunt y our name, Malfoy. It'll get you killed at Hogwarts."

Malfoy and Harry stared at her, shocked. Malfoy was the first to recover. "Was that a threat?" he asked through clenched teeth.

Carmen smiled happily. "A warning! Now, good day!" and with that, she pushed him out of the compartment.

And promptly burst into sobs.

***

Harry had no clue what to do. He could handle his mum, Melanie, and even Elizabeth when they cried, but faced with Carmen, he was helpless. 

"Erm, there there?" he ventured, patting her on the back as she cried. Carmen quickly recovered, and snorted as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"There there?" she mocked. "Jeez, Harry, you need lessons in comforting people!"

Harry shrugged, and the compartment lapsed into silence.

Which was quickly broken by the arrival of a gangly redheaded boy with lots of freckles.

"Can I sit here?" he asked shyly. "My brothers are a pain."

"Sure!" Carmen said. "This is great! Harry's no fun, ya know. He misses Mel, I think. Poor Mel, all alone at home with only Auntie and Uncle to talk to."

Harry glared at her, then blinked. "What about Damien?"

"I meant intelligent conversations. Damien's a ditz."

"I thought only girls can be ditzes."

"There's an exception to every rule."

"So, what's your name?" Harry asked the boy.

"Ron Weasley." he responded slowly, as though doubting Harry's mental health. (As well he should!)

"I'm Carmen Adia!" Carmen said cheerfully.

"Harry Potter." Harry introduced himself.

"Blimey! You're Harry Potter? And Carmen Adia! Are you really going to testify against Lucius Malfoy?!"

Carmen blinked. "Not that I'm aware of."

And thus, on the Hogwarts Express, friendships began to be forged.

A/N: Hey. people! I realize this is a bit choppy, and seems to skip around a lot, but I needed them at Hogwarts. Gimme reviews, please!

Carmen


	2. The Feast

Harry Potter and Ron Weasley stepped off the train alone when they arrived at Hogwarts. Carmen had left the compartment with a muggleborn girl named Hermione Granger, who had been looking for someone named Neville's toad. The two had hit it off well, and Harry's cousin had cheerfully abandoned the two boys.

When they saw the castle, they were glad Carmen was not with them, for she surely would have laughed herself silly at the look on the boys' faces.

***

"Adia, Carmen!" was the first name to be called. There were whispers throughout the Great Hall. Carmen Adia had been in the Daily Prophet for the last few days, stories of a heartbroken girl plastered on the front page. There was barely a moment's hesitation before the Sorting Hat yelled.

"GRYFFINDOR!!!"

***

After a long sorting that ended with Zabini, Blaise, in Slytherin, Albus Dumbledore climbed to his feet. "There is a time for talk, but, alas, this is not it. LET THE FEAST BEGIN!"

***

Quite a while later, the students tramped off to their dormitories, incredibly sleepy and well fed. Carmen hugged Harry goodnight when she reached the staircase, eyes drooping. 

"N-Night, Haaaary." she slurred lazily, stumbling upstairs.

A/N: Okay, okay, I know! It was Majorly short, but I wanted to get them off to sleep and everything, because next chapter is the first few weeks of school, which makes it really long. Unfortunately, it also means that it'll take a while. Thanks to **moony*padfoot** for your review! 

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**Tanydwr and Thriodien****: **the way Harry survived is a mystery to all except me. You'll find out later, when they do!


End file.
